— — Helping to carry out the business of the JCS as promptly as practical Scheduling issues for consideration by the JCS The Chairman, while serving, holds the grade of general or admiral and outranks all other officers of the armed forces. VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF The Vice Chairman of the JCS performs duties assigned by the Chairman, with the approval of the SECDEF. The Vice Chairman acts as Chairman when there is a vacancy in the office  of  the  Chairman  or  in  the  absence  or disability of the Chairman. He participates in all meetings of the JCS but may not vote except when acting as Chairman. The Vice Chairman, while so serving, holds the grade of general or admiral and outranks all other officers of the armed forces except the Chairman of the JCS. JOINT STAFF The Joint Staff, under the Chairman, JCS, aids the Chairman and, subject to the authority of the Chairman, the other members of the JCS, including the Vice Chairman, in carrying out their responsibilities. The Joint Staff is headed by a Director that the Chairman selects in consultation with the other members of the JCS and with the approval of the SECDEF. The Chairman selects officers to serve on the Joint Staff. Assignments are made in approximate equal numbers from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. The Joint Staff is made up of all members of the armed forces and civilian employees assigned or detailed to permanent duty to perform the functions assigned to the Chairman of the JCS. Effective 1 October 1988, the total number of military and civilian personnel was to peak at 1,627. COMMON FUNCTIONS OF THE MILITARY SERVICES The Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, under their respective Secretaries, are responsible  for  determining  service  force requirements. They also make recommendations concerning force requirements to support national security goals and strategy and to meet the operational requirements of the unified and specified combatant commands. Common func- tions of the military services are as follows: — — — — — — — — — — Planning for the use of the intrinsic capabilities  of  resources  of  the  other services that may be available Recommending to the JCS the assignment and deployment of forces to unified and specified combatant commands Controlling service forces Providing logistics support for service forces,  including  procurement,  distribu- tion, supply, equipment, and maintenance Developing doctrines, procedures, tactics, and techniques employed by service forces Conducting operational testing and evalua- tion Providing for training for joint operations and joint exercises in support of unified and specified combatant command opera- tional requirements Operating organic land vehicles, aircraft, and ships or craft Consulting and coordinating with the other services on all matters of joint concern Participating with other services in the development of the doctrines, procedures, tactics, techniques, training, publications, and equipment for such joint operations as is the primary responsibility of one of the services DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY The  Army,  within  the  Department  of  the Army, includes land combat and service forces and any organic aviation and water transport assigned. The Army is responsible for the land forces necessary for the effective prosecution of war and military operations short of war. 1-5